What's New
Summer 2007
I just returned from the Romance Writers of America convention in Dallas. I was so busy it’s all a blur but some moments really stood out. I can’t list them all here, but one was at the Berkley book signing where I signed copies of BAD GIRLS DON’T. I sat next to author Betina Krahn and we had a great time together. A few days later she won a RITA award for her latest book!
Later that day I hooked up with eharlequin maven Jayne H. who shared a limo with me en route to the Harlequin party at the ritzy Fairmont Hotel.
The Harlequin party had great desserts. I got to spend some time with author Kathleen Eagle.
Saturday morning I bumped into the SEPPIES (Susan Elizabeth Phillips fans). I had such fun hanging out with them.
And we got our annual shoe photo.
At the awards lunch on Saturday I was lucky enough to sit beside Vivian Stephens – the editor who bought my first book! She started the Candlelight Ecstasy series of category romances.
Until next time…Happy Reading, Cathie
Fall 2006/Winter 2007
In September a friend and I took my mom up to the Canadian Rockies (my mom’s first trip since her heart surgery in 2004). My friend hadn’t been to that area before so it was fun showing her my favorite sites including Moraine Lake.
We had great weather, with lots of blue skies and bright fall colors. Our stop at Bow Lake provided a very rare mirrored reflection, which we were lucky enough to see. The mountains really put on a show for us.
It seemed like only a few weeks later and it was Christmas. We had such warm weather in Chicago all of December – in the fifties. I had fun putting up some new holiday collections. From Teddy bears to Santas to snowmen.
December also highlighted my cat Whiskers who was on the cover of the December’s Romantic Times magazine! I always knew he’d be a cover model someday. Notice how he’s resting on a pile of books about writing.
January was spent finishing up my new book BIG GIRLS DON’T CRY in bookstores in October of this year. October is also “Love Your Body” month, which is great timing for a book about a size 16 heroine with body image issues. The hero, Cole, is a vet and was the hero’s best friend in BAD GIRLS DON’T.
February is always a busy month for romance authors. I did several book signings and I assisted good friend Susan Elizabeth Phillips at her local book signing at our hometown bookstore Anderson’s. I was honored to be invited by her fans as a special guest at their luncheon beforehand. We had such fun talking about books!
Summer 2006: RWA 2006 Conference
I wasn't sure I was going to make it to Atlanta for the conference this year because I sprained my knee a few weeks ago (medical term: lateral torn meniscus). But with the help of friends like Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Lindsay Longford and Margaret Watson I was able to get there.
My first full day at conference was spent moderating the Librarians' Day Event. Before we got things started, Susan Elizabeth Phillips (center) and Nora Roberts (right) took a moment to compare grandbaby photos.
The luncheon speaker, Kristin Hannah was wonderful. She signed my copy of MAGIC HOUR "To my friend Cathie, whom I adore, even if she makes me speak in public." She also signed 100 books for the librarians who stood in line.
The following day I sat up front for the keynote luncheon featuring Meg Cabot. She was very funny, talking about how she met Julie Andrews who was in the movie adaptation of Meg's book THE PRINCESS DIARIES.
I then went to a special tea at Aunt Pittypat's Porch given by my literary agency where I was thrilled to meet Beth Kendricks (right). That's Julie Garwood smiling at us in the background (far right).
Friday was my first Berkley signing, where all the copies of GOOD GIRLS DO were gone in less than an hour! Here I am with my editor beforehand.
Saturday was another busy day, beginning with a fun get-together with the SEPPIES - Susan Elizabeth Phillips fans. Here we are posing with Susan (2d from left) in front of a fall wall mural.
The conference ended Saturday night with the RITA awards ceremony. Here I am with Barbara Samuels who won a RITA that night.
The highlight was when Susan Elizabeth Phillips got her Lifetime Achievement Award at the end of the ceremony. Here she is with her husband Bill.
And here I am with her husband Bill (grin) aka my collaborator and football buddy.
Also celebrating with Susan were authors and friends Jill Marie Landis (center) and Kristin Hannah (right) with Bill looking on in the background.
We flew home the next morning, tired, a little sad that the conference was over, but eager to get back to writing!
PS-SEP fans - here are more photos:
I'm late, I'm late, I'm late! I know it's been a year since I updated this section of my newsletter and I apologize. I've been really busy writing. I will now attempt to play a really fast game of catch-up. Speaking of catch - CATCH OF THE DAY features my novella BRIDES GONE WILD and has been getting rave reviews. It's in stores now (June).
I recently returned from the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Daytona Beach where I spoke on a panel featuring Romantic Comedies. I decided to do a separate photo gallery for the convention, so check that out. Notice my new "smart girl" glasses?
In March I went to Boston for the Public Library Association convention were I worked at Romance Writers of America's booth and also did a workshop on the romance genre. We had over 400 librarians attending our workshop! The convention center is located amid a maze of shopping malls, including such ritzy names as Tiffany's and Barney's (first time I ever visited one - waaay beyond my budget).
Before leaving for Boston, I finished writing BAD GIRLS DON'T, Skye's story, coming out in November. I love the cover, which features the opening scene of the book.
I'm now hard at work writing a new book in this series. And getting ready for RWA's conference in Atlanta next month. Somehow I sprained my knee, so am hoping it recovers by then!
My family is doing well, knock on wood. My mom is continuing to recover from the complications from her triple bypass surgery, and is now doing more watercolor paintings featuring thistles.
Several weeks ago a few friends and I went into Chicago to see "Spamalot" which was great, very funny. Speaking of funny, I visited buddy Jennifer Crusie when she signed at my local bookstore. My good friend Susan Elizabeth Phillips joined us in this photo op.
I'll write more soon.
Cathie
Spring/Summer 2005
I know it's been a long time since I've updated my latest news section but it's been a hectic six months with my mom having to go in for unexpected triple heart bypass surgery last December, followed by multiple complications (including a hole in the heart which she'd apparently had since birth but which had to be fixed) for several months afterward. She came to live with me for four months and most of my time was spent with her care and recovery.
She's now about to graduate from cardiac rehab and while she's not up to her old antics yet, she's doing a little bit better each day. Thanks to everyone on the various message boards for your prayers and good wishes during that difficult time.
In late April, a friend stayed with my mom while I went for 30 hours to the Romantic Times Convention in St. Louis (just overnight) to pick up my Reviewer's Choice Award. The theme of the convention was a gambling riverboat motif, hence the background for my award.
I was so excited that THE MARINE MEETS HIS MATCH was selected as the Best Silhouette Romance of the year by the reviewers at Romantic Times. It was a great honor for me! While I wasn't there long, I did get to hang out with some very cool mystery writers - Diane Mott Davidson, Susan McBride and Harley Jane Kozak. Also got to spend time with fellow award winners Holly Jacobs and Jaycee Clark.
A few months later I hooked up with author Emilie Richards during her recent book tour when she stopped at the coolest quilting store only a mile away. Sure made me wish that I was more handy with a needle or a sewing machine!
I finished my first single title GOOD GIRLS DO a January 2006 release and as you can see from the cover here and on my homepage, it is soooo cool! Am thrilled with the entire package that Berkley has done for me and will be visiting Writerspace.com in their Berkley authors section so be sure to check for me there. I also have a bridal anthology (June) and my second romantic comedy (October) coming out in 2006. And I finish up my Men of Honor series featuring US Marines heroes for Silhouette Romance with THE MARINE AND ME (Nov. 2005) and LONE STAR MARINE (Feb. 2006).
I just returned from RWA in Reno where I got to hang out with a bunch of great authors including Jill Barnett, Julie Garwood and Linda Howard, shown in this picture with me.
Also had great fun shopping with Jennifer Greene, but we didn't take photos of that ((grin)) .
Until next time, Cathie
Late Summer 2004: Romance Writers of America Honors Cathie
Yes, this was one of my best RWA conferences ever! They honored me for the ten years of work I've done at RWA's Library Liaison with an Honorary Lifetime membership. They give these out very very rarely.
Afterwards I celebrated with Jennifer Crusie. and the gang from Eharlequin
- from left to right are Rae, Dee, Jayne and Dream.
And then went to tea with my agent Meg Ruley at Lady Primrose where all the "in" crowd hung out at the Rotrosen Agency tea -- that's Meg on the left and Jennifer Greene and me. Oh and Rod Stewart was there too! Not having tea with us, but having a "cuppa" before his concert in Dallas later that night.
And that evening my publisher, Harlequin/Silhouette threw a big party (okay it wasn't just for me
) at the Women's Museum in Dallas. The exhibits were great, but one of my favorite things was the fountain of chocolate -- both dark and white! Yumm!
All in all it was a fantastic conference for me!
Summer 2004:I can’t believe how quickly the past year has gone by! I meant to post some holiday photos but they didn’t come out very well. And then my computer hard drive crashed, taking most of my digital photos with it. And my sanity! Luckily I had backup on the book I was working on, but still lost a lot of things.
I finished the first of the youngest Kozlowski brothers books, the oldest twin Steve. The tentative title is THE MARINE AND THE LIBRARIAN and it should be out in late spring of 2004. I’m working on the last brother’s story now.
In February, I visited Seattle for the Public Library Association convention and got to meet up with friend Jayne Ann Krentz.
Also in February, I participated in All for Love at the Schaumburg Library, where we raised over $1,200 in just a few hours for the American Heart Association. I had a really cute photo of cover models Leland Burbank and wife Leslie but I can’t find it grrr. That’s the real reason I didn’t post an update in the winter
. I kept hoping I’d find that photo. If I do I’ll add it. (and I FOUND it!)
Spring came early this year in the Chicago area. In April I visited the nearby nursery The Growing Place. Since I couldn’t afford to buy the goodies they had there, I took this photo of the neat display instead.
My own garden is blooming. The pink poppies did especially well, with one rebel poppy growing up and popping out between the vines of the trumpet vine! Can you see it in this photo?
In May I finally had another book out, the first in my Men of Honor trilogy featuring the Kozlowski brothers. HER MILLIONAIRE MARINE received a series of outstanding reviews and was # 9 on the Waldenbooks romance bestseller list!! Many many thanks to all of your who helped me achieve that! My cats say thanks too, as a portion of your book purchase went to buy their cat food
. From May 15-16th, I attended my first Celebrate Romance conference, which is organized by romance readers for romance readers. I was the opening speaker Saturday morning and brought plenty of giveaways. I told the group that it was meant to be like those "Oprah’s Favorite Thing" shows -- only instead of giving away $400 cashmere sweaters I was giving away books. What a fun experience, talking about books! Again, the photo curse hit, and the photos did not come out because I had the wrong speed film in. Another grrr.
In June I was invited to BookExpo in Chicago by my publisher where I signed at the Harlequin/Silhouette booth and met lots of booksellers. Susan Elizabeth Phillips was my lovely assistant for part of the time.
I was also an invited guest at my publisher’s party at the House of Blues hotel. Isn’t this invitation the coolest thing? Well, the coolest next to the House of Blues sunglasses we were given.
The hotel also featured this big Buddha and a lovely view of the city skyline at twilight.
I head out to Orlando in a few days for the American Library Association convention where I’ll represent Romance Writers of America. And from July 27-31 I’ll be in Dallas at the national Romance Writers of America conference. Also in July, CINDERELLA’S SWEET-TALKING MARINE will be in stores so please be sure to watch for it. This is Ben’s story and it got 4 Stars from Romantic Times!
Until then, I’m sitting at my desk working and writing. And looking out on this view of wildflowers.
Hope you’re having a great summer filled with ice cream and great reads!
Summer 2003
This spring and summer, I've been busy writing about those Kozlowski brothers, who are U.S. Marines, of course. The first in this new series of Men of Honor for Silhouette Romance is called HER MILLIONAIRE MARINE, featuring Striker (he appeared in both MARRIED TO A MARINE and SLEEPING BEAUTY & THE MARINE) comes out in May 2004, quickly followed by CINDERELLA MARRIES HER MARINE, his brother Ben's story a month or two later and his brother Rad's story a month or two after that.
Despite my hectic writing schedule, I have taken some time out to smell the roses - or in this case the pink iris. I got this originally from a neighbor who has since moved away. It's flourishing in my English cottage style (aka messy
) garden and is the envy of Susan Elizabeth Phillips, who wants a pink iris for her garden. If she's very nice to me, maybe I'll let her have one later this fall.
With the sunshine and warmer weather more time is spent with family and friends. My five-year-old nephew Joshua is certainly enjoying himself while at our house.
My three year old niece Anna not only inherited her love of jewelry from me, but also a fondness for listening - in this case for the sound of the ocean from a sea shell I have on display.
And then there are the kitties, not as many as Joshua thinks I have (99 was his estimate
). As you can see, Whiskas enjoys basking in the sunshine and lives up to his reputation as a potential calendar cat (hey, if this writing gig doesn't work out, I've already warned him that I might put him to work ) In June my best friend De visited me from Alaska and made herself right at home with my mighty cat Mouse. We did a year's worth of shopping (De and me, not the cat and me
) in one week. De got the dress she's wearing from Nordstrom's outlet store.
De and I spent one Saturday afternoon visiting area garage sales where I hit the jackpot. I saw this lovely and very sweet set of dishes, pink and blue flowers on an ivory background, which lacked tea cups but had 7 dinner dishes, and salad plates and tiny bowls as well as a platter. I bargained the price down from $12 to $9 for the entire set. When I got them home, I looked the design up on Ebay - they are Royal Staffordshire Devonshire and one plate alone is worth more than I paid for the entire set! I also got the quilt in the background. A good day!
Hope your summer is going well!
Click here for back issues of Cathie's "What's New"
